While breweries and beer bottle shops have been opening left and right in the Triangle, it always seemed to me that wine seemed to be lagging. Thankfully we recently got a new entry in the Triangle wine scene with Vita Vite in downtown Raleigh! Part art gallery, part wine bar and part retail, Vita Vite is pretty ambitious for what it brings to the neighborhood.

Stuffed seating at Vita Vite in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Located on the edge of the Warehouse District on Hargett Street, Vita Vite offers up an interesting combination of art gallery, wine and lounge in one very upscale space. At the front is Vita Vite’s covered patio with stuffed couches for wine drinking. Inside Vita Vite, you’ll find a visually interesting mix of art pieces, large front bar and even a fireplace. And in back you’ll find a small retail area of Southern goods along with more art and seating areas. You can tell immediately that a lot of work and money was put into the interior and decor.

Bar area at Vita Vite in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

At the bar, Vita Vite has a smallish list of wines by the glass, some beer and cider along with some fancy mimosas. We grab a couple of glasses and hang out in the front seating area on stuffed chairs. Looking around the space it’s an interesting mix of people. Mostly 30 – 50 year old folks which is about right for a wine bar. It’s definitely a more stylish and mature space that won’t appeal to everyone but in a good way. Apparently there’s also an event space in the back where I think they’ll need to do a good business since off the street traffic can be unreliable. The lovely enclosed patio up front means great lounging for when the weather is nice.

Entry area at Vita Vite in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

But they are off to a good start at Vita Vite! It’s a great looking space with a lot of color and texture for wine drinking. The addition of some charcuterie and cheese plates to the menu means you also have something to nosh on now at Vita Vite. Definitely certainly check it out next time you’re in the Warehouse District. Vita Vite means life and vine in Italiano and I imagine you could do just that here: slow down your life a bit with a good glass of vino, cheers!

In the world of special dinners in the Triangle, it’s hard to go wrong with the offerings from Eschelon Experiences! I’ve done them at Mura, Oxford and Cameron Bar & Grill and it’s always a fun evening of excellent food paired with good wine and/or beer. I had been to Mura for lunch a while back and had spoken to their manager Tripp who told me they were working on an upcoming wine/sake dinner. So as soon as I saw the event go up for sale on Eschelon Experiences, I grabbed a couple of seats and good thing since they sold out in under 48 hours. With nine food courses on tap and six wine-sake pairings I had NO doubt it would be a fun evening and even better, on a Monday night…

We stopped in at about 6:30 and the group was just starting to gather in Mura’s lounge and bar area. At a bit before 7pm, 30+ lucky diners get escorted to Mura’s back dining room for this very special meal. At each place setting is a menu on a long card for the evening. We will get to choose our favorite beverage out of each pairing for the evening, all provided by Mutual Distributing. And even though we won’t get a wine-sake pairing for each of the nine courses, we will get them for six which means 12 pours in total, whoa!

Sara Guterbock, a sake sommelier from Mutual Distributing Company opens up the dinner with some fluent Japanese and tells us about the pairing process for the meal. She suggests trying the wine or sake first solo and the after you’ve tried the dish which will give it a very different flavor profile. We will also have the option to purchase any of the wines or sakes sampled tonight, wholesale at the end of the evening! Winner, winner, wine and sake dinner!

We open up the meal with a crab crisp: warm melty crab piled on a crunchy wonton strip, very nice start. Hiramasa tataki is next, three slices of amberjack tuna lightly seared. It’s served with garlic chips and black salt which makes for a mouth-meltingly bite! A carrot butterfly sits on the plate overlooking the dish, excellent presentation. Paired with a Mondavi fume blanc and some clean sake works well for this plate.

Next up is a beautiful botan shrimp nigiri with caviar presented with the flash-fried head of the prawn. On the side, came a sushi slice (mostly rice) designed with a butterfly. Each diner had a slightly different sushi slice with a different creature on it, great creativity. The shrimp nigiri was plump and had great texture to each bite. I was really impressed by the work that went into this plate from a presentation standpoint.

Course four is grilled abalone with garlic butter, three slices of chewiness presented on the back of a shell. It all had the look of an artistic snail and while the sliced abalone was not a diner favorite at the table, again it was a fun presentation and plated beautifully. The abalone was more about texture than taste which was fine by me!

We’re finally at the mid-point of the meal and served a palate cleanser: pineapple sorbet. As the wine and sake has flowed, the volume and noise in Mura’s dining room has gone up four times and of course the lucky guests are getting a little boisterous! We’re introduced to the Mura chefs and Eschelon restaurant group’s leader is in the house, G. Patel. I see the man everywhere and of course it’s always good to catch up with him.

Course six for this grand meal shows up and it’s a sake-braised pork belly with Asian pear and scallions. I love the color and depth of the broth it’s served in, looks great. My friend Gina loves it but it’s not my favorite! The sear leaves a pretty chewy surface on top but it’s still tasty. Come on now we’re talking pork belly. The wines have moved into the reds now, we’re doing a solid pinot noir with our first meat course. Overall I’ve found the sakes to be very consistently decent and more neutral which makes for an easier pairing. However with the correctly paired wine, the plate and food definitely pops a bit more.

Course seven is toro tartar served on crispy taro chips. It’s a simple but amazing looking dish with lots of deep colors set off by the flash of gold, beautiful stuff. And I love the stiff chip contrasted against the soft, luscious fish. Nicely done here!

We’re on our last savory course, charred lamb chops on grilled rice with wasabi dijonaisse. The lamb is nicely seared and I like the lightly spicy sauce it’s paired with. And after all the lighter courses it’s great to get a bit of reddish meat to amp up the meal a bit.

And finally dessert! A yuzu (citrus) cheesecake with a sweet, chewy sesame crisp perched atop. Good mouth-feel here with the lusciousness of the cheesecake contrasted against the crisp, chewy tuile. A fine ending to a wonderful meal here at Mura!

As the meal and evening ends, Gina and I mark off some of our favorite wines and sake for purchase and we are off. The whole Wine vs. Sake crowd heads out full of great food, vino and sake. It was one of the best special dinners I’ve had in the Triangle and a wonderful surprise for me. Between the great beverages and well presented dishes, Mura’s Wine vs. Sake dinner was an incredible value. And while I’m not sure when they will run this dinner again, there are plenty of other good ones to check out on the Eschelon Experience website. But if Mura runs Wine vs. Sake Part III, you can be sure I’ll be there again, kampai!

As a special bonus, celebrity chef Vivian Howard (Chef and the Farmer) will be participating in the event repping Boiler Room Oyster. If the weather is good, I can’t imagine a better way to while away a beautiful Sunday afternoon!

While I haven’t hit up the Hook & Vine Festival personally, I’ve heard great things over the years. I mean, how can you go wrong with wine, good eats and some sunshine? And the Phils over at the Wine Feed consistently choose good bottles. Tickets are $40 each for one of two entry times and $50 for VIP which includes an extra hour and complimentary glass of champagne. So if you enjoy wine, if you enjoy seafood, check out the 3rd Hook & Vine seafood and wine festival on April 24!

Known for its dance clubs and bars, S. Glenwood still has its fair share of good eats and restaurants! Running from Peace Street down to Hillsborough, this busy strip in Raleigh has some hidden dining gems if you take the time to look. From pizza to Spanish, steak and Thai, you can find it all on this street along with its side-streets and then dance it off at one of the clubs nearby.

Starting at the northern end of S. Glenwood you’ll find Mellow Mushroom! A pizza chain from the Southeast, Mellow Mushroom serves up consistently good pizza and sandwiches along with a nice selection of craft beers and margaritas. Perfect for families or a quick lunch given casual service, don’t miss the Mellow Mushroom patio during good weather. It’s a great spot to while away the afternoon or early evening and watch people go by!

Across the street from Mellow Mushroom is the ever-popular Mojoe’s Burger Joint! A NC state classic, Mojoe’s offers up delicious hamburgers, fries and onion rings. They do regular specials and don’t miss the specialty of the house, their Vortex burger. A 6 oz. burger between two cheese sandwiches along with pickles, bacon and ketchup. Mojoe’s also has decent patio and outdoor dining area when the weather is nice.

Next up on S. Glenwood on the opposite end of the food spectrum is Tasca Brava. Located in a small white house, you’ll be taken back to the continent and Spain when dining here. Choose from tapas, paella and more for a very personal and intimate meal. Just be aware that Tasca Brava is a bit pricey and better served for special occasions. And be prepared to be entertained by chef-owner Juan Samper who you’ll either love or hate. But the food here is great as well as the Tasca Brava dining experience.

Further south you’ll run into Sullivan’s, a small chain of premium steakhouses. Known for their prime-aged beef and excellent service, I have yet to do a full sit-down dinner but have done several events here. It’s a formal and classic feel restaurant with a bustling bar scene on Thursdays for its $5 martinis and bar menu. But if you go full-price, I’d expect to spend about $60 to $75 per person.

The new Pho Pho Pho is a hip and stylish eatery offering nouveau Vietnamese fare. From bun to banh mi and summer rolls, Pho Pho Pho does a more modern and slightly twisted version of popular Vietnamese classics. The interior is modern and stylish with high ceilings and lots of open spaces. The front windows open up to the action on S. Glenwood on warm evenings so enjoy this new option for eats!

Next on my S. Glenwood list is Clockwork on North Street! Part bar, part lounge and part snackatorium, you can do apps, pizzas and sandwiches here. And while they have a limited menu, the mod interior and roll-up garage door makes for a great night when the evening weather is good. Great for a quick snack and drink but you could put together a full meal if you’re really hungry.

Patio at Thaiphoon in Raleigh, NC

Triangle Dining

Pad kee mao at Thaiphoon in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

On the other side of Glenwood on North Street is the Thaiphoon Bistro which has been dishing up good and spicy eats for years! A menu spanning all the Thai favorites plus additions like roti canai make this spot a forgotten gem. Sit inside in the clean-designed dining room or outside on the small porch by their koi pond. Everything here is reasonably priced and a good deal for the portion size.

Around the corner from Thaiphoon Bistro you’ll find Plates Neighborhood Kitchen, which shares a patio with them. Known for it’s local, farm to table fare in international flavors, Plates has come on strong over the past six months. It dishes out well-prepared food spanning a broad variety of cuisines but don’t miss out on their corn-crab fritters, yum! Basic Southern eats at very good prices with excellent service.

Front of Tobacco Road Sports Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

A little further down the street is Tobacco Road Sports (currently closed and moving to new location) which does bar food similar to Natty Greene’s. But you come here as much for the TV’s and big game as you do for the food. Busy on any night with a big sporting event, Tobacco Road Sports also puts out very large portions for the price, make sure to order their huge nachos with chicken or steak. Tobacco Road Sports also has some really nice sidewalk seating on Glenwood.

Glenwood Avenue looking south, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

All I can say is, wow! While S. Glenwood is known for its nightlife, there are plenty of good eating options here! I didn’t even bother to mention Armadillo Grill, Sushi Blues, DeMo’s Pizza, the Hibernian, Rockford or Napper Tandys, some other popular eating options. And on busy weekend nights, you’ll also find food carts working the busy streets around the clubs. So don’t sweat it if you’re looking for something to eat when you’re out on S. Glenwood because there are plenty of choices to keep you going after a night out on the town…